Magnetic Scanner Plans Available For The Public

A Health Systems Council (HSC) proposal concerning nuclear magnetic resonance or magnetic resonance imagers and CAT scanners is available for public review and comment until May 6.

The devices use magnets instead of radiation to provide images of the body and are said to be superior to X-rays and CAT scans in the brain, spinal cord and pelvic organs. They cannot totally replace the more conventional diagnostic tools.

Copies of the draft proposal, which is an amendment to HSC's regional five-year plan, are available at state health centers, public health centers, public libraries and at HSC's Allentown office.

No hospital in the five-county region served by HSC has a nuclear magnetic resonance imager, but an application for one at Reading Hospital awaits review. A letter of intent has been filed by Lehigh Valley Hospital Center for such equipment.

On May 6, HSC's plan development committee will receive written and oral comments from 5 to 6 p.m. in the HSC office. The comments will be reviewed by the committee May 15, and the HSC board will make a recommendation on the amendments May 21.

All comments should be addressed to Sonia Briskin, chairwoman of the plan development committee, HSC, 546 Hamilton St., Allentown, 18101.